title: Phylogenetic analysis of Merkel cell polyomavirus based on full-length LT and VP1 gene sequences derived from neoplastic tumours in Japanese patients.
abstract: Most Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) gene sequences have been reported from Western countries and few data are available for the virus sequences from other geographical areas, especially Asia. Thus, we performed phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequences of the full-length large T-antigen (LT) and viral protein 1 (VP1) genes derived from a variety of cancers in Japanese patients and compared them with sequences from Caucasians. The LT and VP1 gene-based phylogenetic trees identified two main genetic clades. One clade comprised strains isolated from Caucasians, whereas all of the Japanese tumour-derived MCPyV strains belonged to another clade. These findings confirm that most of the MCPyV strains present in Japan form a clade, distinct from Caucasian strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashida
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imajoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamioka
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Respiratory Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kochi Red Cross Hospital, Kochi 780-8561, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathology, Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago 683-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigetoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daibata
mesh_terms: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C062481:VP1 protein, polyomavirus